Astro Ventilation decals

[lakeholme]

Ray Miller in Camaro: Classy Chassis shows pictures of the astro ventilation decals for both the driver and passenger's sides on the 68.  The 68 AIM doesn't even mention all those "extraneous" decals that most folks scraped off right after they drove the car home.  (Then again, some folks threw away the protecto plates...)  What do the members think about those astro ventilation decals?  Is that taking originality too far?

[bertfam]

Phil,

They weren't decals. The CRG REPORT on glass states:

Marking Method
LOF sand-blasted almost all glass marks with a stencil. The only exception was the early '68 model "Astro-Ventilation" mark, which used fired-on white ceramic paint [a thank you for this correction goes to Dan DelGratta of LOF]. Decals are incorrect. Also incorrect is reproduction glass that uses baked on black enamel for marking (often seen on modern glass).

You can read more on the glass report by clicking HERE.

Ed

[wtexz10]

As I recall my 68 Z28 which I had back in 1971, did not have ASTRO Ventilation decals, the wording was etched in the glass similar to the PPG window markings.  Am I remembering this correctly?

Kris

[hotrod68]

My '68 has them, and the decals seem to be imbedded in the glass for there is no edge to them. The glass is perfectly smooth. Is this the fired ceramic paint?, for the letters are white. Mine is a very early Norwood car if that helps. 

[lakeholme]

OK, I stand corrected...
Ed, in the end your post did lead me to what my real question should have been: Should my car have the marks? (And do I have original glass?)  Thanks to Rich's report the answer is most likely "no" to the first question.  My 68 is not an early build.  (And I'm going to take Rich's report and answer the original glass question this afternoon.)
Thanks, CRG!

[Mark's 68 L78 RS SS]

Phillip:

My car is an 06C build and one window has the etching and one doesn't.  Interestingly the one that does is clearly the original door but the glass was a little earlier.  The drivers door was replaced at some point in the cars life prior to my getting it and has no etching.  If you search back you will find my post on this from probably nearly two months ago that has my glass dates on it.  I can try to find it and repost the glass dates.  I wouold like mine to match and personally I like the etching, kinda cool.

[lakeholme]

Mark, I found your post.  I figured out yesterday from Rich's report that my car should not have the Astro Ventilation markings (later build date of 12D, according to Rich's report probably a little late).  I've got the same situation that you have on glass = driver's side is original (and no marking), passenger is a PPG replacement.  I think the AV markings are cool looking, too. If nothing else, its very 60s looking.  What threw me off originally was that several suppliers offer a repo. decal.
If you could get a good close up picture of the AV marking, I'd love to see it!
Thanks guys! 

[gro51]

Don't know if this helps but my '68 has its' original glass (RPO A01 - Soft Ray Tinted, All Windows) which is dated March 68.  It does not have any Astro Ventilation markings.  My car's build date is 04A.

[Mark's 68 L78 RS SS]

Phillip:

I will try to get a good picture later this afternoon.  Here is the date code infromation for my glass.  Not sure why my 06C date car would have original glass from September of 67 but it does.  probably some left around as we all know from our research that GN did not use a FIFO system for their inventory.  I wonder if I could ever find a drivers side glass with the AV etching?

Here is the date code and information off my windows:

Right side:      SOFT-RAY
              SAFETY  L    FLO-LITE
                  AS-2   O   AZ-10
                             F
                 SOLID TEMPERED
                       M74

Left side:      SOFT-RAY
              SAFETY  L    FLO-LITE
                  AS-2   O   LX-10
                             F
                 SOLID TEMPERED
                        M74

So one window is from September of 1967 (with Astro-Ventilation graphic fired on inside of window) and one is from March of 1968 (without Astro Ventilation graphic)

Mark

[bertfam]

Mark et al...

Yes, the late cars have been seen with one of three configurations:

1. No Astro Vent logo on either door glass.
2. Only one window with the Astro Vent logo (drivers or passengers side. Both have been seen.)
3. Both windows with the Astro Vent logo.

My 05D Los Angeles built car also has earlier glass on it (both fronts are "TZ" which is August, 1967, and both rear quarters are NX-10 (January, 1968). It's assumed that both factories had "left-over" glass and had to use them up. They were "supposed" to match the glass (one Astro Vent should have been fired onto a later glass to match the earlier one), but this didn't always happen, hense one with and one without the logo.

Very early and very late cars always seem to have anomolies that defy the normal rules.

Ed

[Mark's 68 L78 RS SS]

Phillip:

Here is a quick picture of my window etching.

[lakeholme]

Thanks, Mark.  I cannot really tell because the angle looks a little different from the two pictures in Miller's book, but how far from the front edge of the window does the etching extend? 

[Mark's 68 L78 RS SS]

Phillip:

i will try to measure that up tonight.

Mark

[My68SS]

Thanks, Mark.  I cannot really tell because the angle looks a little different from the two pictures in Miller's book, but how far from the front edge of the window does the etching extend? 

Checked my RH glass, measuring along the bottom of [parallel to] the 'Ventilaion' letters, the lower end corner of the N [last letter] is exactly 2" from the glass edge's outer most point - top of radius.

The logo length, measuring along the top of the 'Ventilation' letters, from the top end corner of the 'N' to the fartherest extremity of the 'A' in Astro, measures 3 9/32"
The white lettering is slightly proud of the glass, you can feel them as you run your finger over them.

I have a spare non Astro M74 glass with VZ - 10 code - Dec 67

[lakeholme]

Thanks for that information!  You even answered my "yet to be asked" question about the feel of the etching.